Living in the heartland of car and motorcycle racing in Northern Ireland, it is no surprise that Co. Antrim's Sarah Jane Armour wanted to get involved in speed sports.

The 17-year-old Nutt's Corner girl had initially wanted to compete on motorcycles but her Dad, Kenny, convinced her that having two extra wheels on her wagon would be safer and so she took up kart competition.

“I loved the bikes but I followed Dad's wishes and my first race in the kart was just down the road from home at the Nutt's Corner circuit four years ago,” Sarah recalls.

“I think I finished tenth but the most important thing was that I didn't crash!"

placeholder image — Sarah Jane Armour with her Rotax-engined kart. The Nutts Corner teenager will compete in the Asia Trophy race in Macau later in January. (Photo by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press)

Supported by her Dad and Mum, Nittaya, Sarah has been addicted to the sport ever since that first outing and has enjoyed some noteworthy success driving her 125cc Rotax machine during her still-short career on four wheels.

“I finished 10th in the Junior class at the 2024 Irish Kart Grand Prix and fourth in the Junior Rotax race on the Isle of Man which was quite a big deal, although I was aiming for a podium before I got shoved off the track!” she smiled.

“I train every day and am doing as many test days as I can although Mum put a hold on that until I had finished my recent GCSE exams. I work on my kart myself and I will keep racing in the Irish kart championships. Hopefully someday I will be able to graduate to cars.”

This month, the Co. Antrim teenager will embark on a new and very exciting adventure as she travels to Macau, home of the famous street race in China, where she will compete in the Rotax Asia Trophy kart event at the Coloane circuit from January 23-25.

Sarah Jane's Mum is of Thai descent which has fostered the family's love for that part of the world.

“I have been to watch the bikes and cars at the Macau Grand Prix for the last 15 years with Mum and Dad and I felt it would be great to do a race in that part of the world,” said the budding racer, who is now hoping to pick up some support to help make her dream come true.

“My Dad, who runs North West Paving, is my main sponsor and I also get some help from Martin Supplies, an agricultural plant machinery company.

“'There are other people who help me here at home and I am just hoping someone will come onboard for Macau as it is a very special event.

There will be a field of 30 racers so I am aiming for a top ten result at least. I couldn't complain about that against that level of international competition.”

Sarah Jane can be contacted via email at [email protected]